


In Absence of Communication

by dayspassslowly



Category: The West Wing
Genre: Gen, M/M, it was meant to be much less toby-centric than it ended up being, this is barely about josh/sam but it's in the background ok
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-01
Updated: 2017-05-01
Packaged: 2018-10-26 14:46:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 643
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10788840
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dayspassslowly/pseuds/dayspassslowly
Summary: Much to the surprise of both of them, Toby arrives on their doorstep one night, with liquor perhaps more expensive than he should be buying in hand.





	In Absence of Communication

Much to the surprise of both of them, Toby arrives on their doorstep one night, with liquor perhaps more expensive than he should be buying in hand. They don’t probe when Toby dodges questions. They simply let him in to stay after he floats his request, unfinished before Sam jumps in to ask if he wants a glass for that and Josh sees Toby relax ever so slightly. The trio sit on the couch watching a football rerun which is new to them all – White House hours not allowing much in the way of downtime. Maybe if it did, maybe if pampering was defined by something more luxurious than a seven hours sleep, everyone would be a little more stable in the morning. But it doesn’t, so they sat not talking about emotions, not talking so much at all, in fact. The barriers of masculinity and status were too strong for that. Too strong for them to comment when Toby shouts at the screen that bit too loudly and downs his drink that bit too quickly, the glass hitting their new coffee table hard enough to dent it.

“Sorry”  
“Don’t worry about it”  
“Yeah.”

The game runs into overtime, and they don’t move even when it finishes. The sun will rise in four hours and they all have meetings. Hell, Toby set up half of Sam’s meetings and is in two of Josh’s, though maybe if that hadn’t been true he’d say something more worthy. In absence of explanation, the conversation moves to alcoholic ramblings on literature its philosophies. They don’t talk about feelings, but maybe enough is said in between the lines. It’s enough for Sam to wonder days later if Toby can really think like that – and how he can cope if he does. Josh keeps up wittily enough, save for the odd mishaps that result in heavy sighs and derision. Maybe if Toby can’t be happier than him, he can at least be smarter than him – if only from Josh’s viewpoint or if only after a few too many drinks. If he’s lucky he’ll manage to still be drunk as he walks into work, navigating corridors a bit more fluidly until the hangover hits and he swears not to drink again. It’s not a problem, but it happens more than he’d like to admit. If anyone else notices, they don’t mention it. He chalks that look Leo gives him up to his own paranoia.

  
Thanks remain unvoiced when Toby leaves for the office before either of them get out of bed, written hesitantly on a note which he slid under a new set of glasses that weren’t his to just give away. Never the type to make friends, he hopes he hasn’t scared these men away. He wonders what was whispered last night after he was left alone to sleep. He wonders if they too think he’s remarkably sad, so not wanting to meet pitying stares and stuttered small talk, he leaves all his hopeful gratitude crystallised in expensive glassware.

  
“Sam – um – I’m sorry about last Wednesday. I didn’t mean to break a glass or,” Toby starts, a gesture finishing words he either doesn’t want to say or can’t find to begin with.  
“No, no, it’s no problem, really. Though how much did those glasses cost? They looked old, were-“  
“-Sam, the Congressman is waiting for you in your office.”

  
Ginger, for all her talents, doesn’t intercept the plates of pie that appear on Toby’s desk. Without him realising, pastry is crammed between drafts that’ll never shine hard enough or say little enough. Toby doesn’t confront the men about it, even after he spots Sam sweeping out of his office, bashful, or the crumbs on Josh’s sleeve at senior staff. Toby was never good at feelings or friendship, but maybe he’s good enough to swallow the fact alongside sweet peaches.


End file.
